Auto-Updates - Proactive or Begging for Abuse?

narzy asks: "To me one of the most important steps to keeping a computer secure is keeping the systems software up to date. The problem I run in to is that more and more of the applications in everyday use are web enabled in some context or another, making them high targets for attack and exploitation. I am beginning to find it difficult to keep clients computers completely up to date. I find that applications that have an auto update such as my anti-virus Nod32 which updates every day on its own a real blessing. It's a feature that is an option but and option that I personally wish was in a lot more software. Windows has this feature (so does Linux if you want it to) however in the case of Windows it's not exactly all that consistent. Unfortunately it opens another can of worms that isn't so enjoyable that being companies who abuse such a system for advertising purposes, modifying the software in such a way to reduce or change its functionality either because of internal decisions or external pressures from 3rd parties, compromise and abuse of the server the company uses to distribute the updates. But is it worth the added risk to know that 95%+ of the time your software is up to date? It's not a cure all but is it or is it not better then a reactive approach?"

Of course it's worth it!

[XCorvis]

As someone who has had to clean viruses off infected campus computers, I say that automated updates are 100% worth it, even if they do have problems once in a while. When Sasser ripped through, our help desk was swamped with calls from students. But not one single lab computer that had automatic updates set was affected. The benefits are obvious.

I like to compromise

[Anonymous Coward]

I sign up for automated notifications of updates, and then I review those and apply them when appropriate.